NEWS

April 11, 2018

It’s Much More Than a Pipeline: CATA Advances Business Coalition Advocacy for Canadian Investment

Please review the draft Open Letter regarding Kinder Morgan’s announcement to suspend non essential Canadian investment and our call to the Prime Minister to convene a meeting without delay with the Premiers of British Columbia and Alberta to resolve the impasse on the Trans Mountain Pipeline project and to clear the way for this project to proceed in the national interest. Comments and guidance can be sent to CATA CEO, John Reid at jreid@cata.ca

CATAAlliance is part of the Business Coalition, One Voice Approach to innovation and competitiveness advocacy.

DRAFT – for community feedback & guidance

April xx, 2018

The Right Honorable Justin Trudeau and CabinetPrime Minister of CanadaOffice of the Prime Minister80 Wellington StreetOttawa, ON K1A 0A2

cc: Premier John Horgan and Cabinet Premier Rachel Notley and Cabinet

Subject: Open Letter

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Cabinet,

Earlier this week Kinder Morgan announced their intention to suspend all non-essential spending on the federally and provincially approved Trans Mountain Pipeline project citing “unquantifiable risk” as a result of the continuing uncertainty created by the B.C. government. In response we are taking the unusual step to come together and call upon you to convene a meeting without delay with the Premiers of British Columbia and Alberta to resolve the impasse on the Trans Mountain Pipeline project and to clear the way for this project to proceed in the national interest.

Regrettably, this may not be enough. The continued obstructionist position of the current Government of British Columbia calls into question whether an agreement can be reached where the rule of law will prevail and commercial enterprise can, with confidence, build and operate a business in our country.

Should you and the Premier of British Columbia be unable to cooperatively resolve the current impasse within days, we then call upon you to utilize all federal powers at your disposal to ensure the Kinder Morgan pipeline project proceeds without further delay.

At stake is more than a pipeline project. The global reputation of our country as a safe and secure place to invest and do business is at serious risk.

It’s deeply concerning that a project that has gone through rigorous review, including four years of consultation and numerous federal and provincial conditions is now in this situation after being given a green-light to proceed. This threatens to provoke a crisis of confidence in Canada’s regulatory processes with far reaching implications which go well beyond this project. It threatens to send a message to investors that Canada cannot be trusted. It puts billions of dollars of government revenue at risk—billions that pay for things that Canadians need, from teachers to MRI machines to affordable housing and further investments in protecting the environment.

Many small and medium-sized business owners, construction workers, people who support their families in manufacturing, and Indigenous Nations are now unfairly caught in the crossfire as a result of the uncertainty surrounding the project’s future and, collaterally, our country’s growing uncertain investment climate.

We appreciate your government’s support of this federally and provincially approved project. In the interest of all Canadians, your government must now make this issue its top priority. Creating certainty is of the utmost importance not just for the Trans Mountain pipeline project, but also to uphold the rule of law and Canada’s reputation as a place in which to invest, build and operate businesses to create jobs, to support healthy communities, and to fund health, education and social programs.

About CATAAlliance

The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance) is Canada’s One Voice for Innovation Lobby Group, crowdsourcing ideas and guidance from thousands of opt in members in moderated social networks in Canada and key global markets. (No Tech Firm Left Behind)